The NBRPA Mourns the Passing of Tom Boerwinkle

March 28, 2013

Known for his deft passes, aggressive rebounding and uncanny ability to facilitate the offense, Boerwinkle died Tuesday at 67.

A first-round NBA draft pick (fourth overall) out of Tennessee in 1968, the 7-foot, 260-pound Boerwinkle played his entire NBA career for the Bulls, averaging 7.2 points, 9 rebounds and 3.2 assists from 1968-78. He was known for passing and setting hard picks to create scoring opportunities for Chet Walker, Jerry Sloan, Norm Van Lier and Love.

"He was a great teammate with a heart of gold," Love said. "And I always tell people: Half of my baskets came from him. He's one of the best-passing big men of all-time."

Tennessee announced Boerwinkle passed away following a lengthy illness. He had been battling myelodysplastic syndromes, a form of leukemia.

"He understood his role extremely well," Hall of Fame center Artis Gilmore said Wednesday from his home in Florida. "He had a very big body and he absorbed a lot of space. With those behind-the-back and over-the-head passes, he was very good. He understood the game and he played intelligent basketball."

Boerwinkle set a Bulls record of 37 rebounds against the Suns on Jan. 8, 1970. He finished his career with 4,596 points, 5,745 rebounds, and 2,007 assists.

"I remember during my first year with the Bulls (1976-77), after the (ABA/NBA) merger came about, not much was going on with the Bulls at that time, for a period," Gilmore recalled.

"But the year I came in he was playing really, really well. He had just recovered from a knee injury. At a very critical time, he tore up his knee again and that put him out of the game (the next season).

"We maintained our relationship. When the Bulls would host some activity and they invited many of the legends and past players. Tom always came. I always enjoyed his company."

The affable Boerwinkle was a two-time first-team All-Southeastern Conference player (1967 and '68) and an All-American at Tennessee.

"Tom was a once-in-a-lifetime guy," former Vols teammate Bill Justus said in a statement from the university. "When you meet a guy like him and have him as a teammate, he becomes a brother to you, and there's no replacing someone like that.

"Despite his sheer size and presence, he was as genuine and loyal as can be. That's not just me saying that; those are the sentiments of many, many of his former teammates. What a gentle giant we've lost one of our best friends."

"We were all heartbroken this morning to learn of the passing of Tom Boerwinkle. In addition to being one of the Bulls all-time great players, Tom was one of the kindest men you would ever want to meet who made great contributions to the Chicago

Bulls organization on and off the court. Our condolences go out to his wife, Linda, his son, Jeff, and his daughter, Gretchen."

Boerwinkle, who lived in suburban Burr Ridge, also served as a Bulls radio analyst from 1991-94 and was a familiar presence during Bulls game days at the United Center.